Visiting Vietnam

[dtaai-maai]

Before I begin scratching around on Google, I'm thinking of visiting a friend in Hanoi in April or May with Mrs D-M. Does anyone know of visa requirements, issue times and deadlines, likely problems, etc. for a Brit and his Thai wife?

[pitsch]

I go to Vietnam in 3 weeks. Thai citizens need no visa. I applied over internet:
http://www.vietnam-visa-arrival.com (there are also several other companies, who make this).

Within 2 days I got a letter from the Immigration department per E-Mail, that I can get a visa on arrival at the airport in Vietnam. You have to take 2 photos and 25 Dollars with you. The application costs 18 Dollars, which I paid per PayPal. So you don't have to go to the embassy.

[dtaai-maai]

That's great, Pitsch; thanks very much!



EDIT: It just occurred to me that Terry the Fish may be in Hanoi? Do I sense a possible piss-up opportunity?

[Homer]

I'm leaving for Vietnam soon. I used MyVietnamVisa.com, otherwise the details are same as posted above. Wouldn't use them again unless others had the same lack of internet security. Not only was there no https (which I didn't notice, D'oh!) but between pages of the purchase process all the info I'd input was passed as URL parameters. That's the least secure way to do it. Had this been a public PC one would have left their credit card number and security code in the browser cache, along with all the other info input into the form.

[Terry]

Visa info correct

Mr dm - I think we can imbibe a glass or 5 and celebrate Spurs winning the double again - after all these years

I will of course be home for Songkhran and other odd occasions as usual, but apart from that you should find me here.

Keep in touch

[Pagey]

As a couple of you have been to Vietnam recently :

Just booked my flight and ordered my visa on arrival.

I want to use my UK bank visa/ATM card to fund meals drinks etc. What is the best option :

Use in ATM in Vietnam to withdraw local currency.
Use in bank in Vietnam to obtain local currency or USD
Use in bank here in Thailand to obtain USD before I travel
Other option ?

I went to Vietnam about 6 or 7 years ago but I cannot remember how I funded it !!

Thanks in advance

[Terry]

Pagey

Expat work colleagues have had varying degrees of success & failure using local ATMs

I would suggest you take USD cash with you - it still works here and is easy to change in the banks for the local Vietnamese Dong.

[pitsch]

I had no problem in getting Dongs from ATM. I had only 25 Dollars with me for the visa in the airport. But Dollars are accepted nearly everywhere.

[hhfarang]

But Dollars are accepted nearly everywhere.

Can someone explain this to me. The dollar is in the craphole but yet it seems to be the preferred currency in many Asian countries...

[dtaai-maai]

Yes, they like to pin them on the wall and throw darts at them.
They used to take pounds as well, but they're all coins now.

[Homer]

No ATMs until after one passes through immigration means you must bring USD from outside the country. Convert all your VND (dong) before leaving Vietnam, it's worthless outside the country.

My K Bank ATM/debit card worked fine, one from a US bank never worked.

Tons of info on tripadvisor and thorntree about the scams, ripoffs, theft, lying to your face, etc that are an almost daily part of travel in 'nam.

[Homer]

Use in ATM in Vietnam to withdraw local currency.

Use in bank here in Thailand to obtain USD before I travel

Foreign currency accepted - at a conversion rate 5%+ over the bank rate, at least for USD. Saw people using Euros. I used VND. VND bills have many zeros. It's easy to mix up a 10k and a 100k dong note or a 20k and 200k. People making change attempt to take advantage of that. Most countries I've been to want their USD notes in at least very good condition so as to be easier to spot fakes. Don't know about Vietnam, my USD were barely used.
Every hotel and guest house I used quoted their prices in dollars so paying by VND was at their conversion rate. Made everything 5% more expensive.

I read enough about crime in Hanoi and HCMC to bring my cheap camera, be aware of grab-and-dash robbery possibilities when using my smartphone, carrying no more cash than I needed on that particular outing from the hotel and certainly not bringing a trips budget in cash.

[centermid7]

Lots of thieves, crooks, scams, & liars. Can't say I enjoyed VN all that much.

I found plenty of ATM's and used them with no problem.

[Pagey]

OK, Thanks all. I think I will take USD, I will use my Visa debit card to pay for hotel, internal flight etc. I am wary of using my card in any ATM overseas in case the machine decides to keep it as it is the only card I have to access my UK bank and don't want the nightmare of trying to replace it.

[aragon]

We were there on holiday a few years ago, don't recall any particular issues with ATMs or using debit/credit cards in hotels, though never used them to pay for anything in establishments outside of mainstream hotels, strictly cash as you don't want your card being out of your sight for any amount of time. The only real downer I recall was the scrum for the visa on arrival at the airport , it may have improved but I would be surprised if it has, better to get it before you travel, if you can.